Higher Maths

Revision Notes
Basic Differentiation

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goodbye Get Started
Basic differentiation
You should know the meaning of the terms limit, differentiable at a point,

differentiate, derivative, differentiable over an interval, derived function.

Differentiate a function whose

terms are of the form axn

find the gradient of the

tangent to a curve y = the rate of change of f at a
f(x) at x = a
Find where the function
sketch a curve with
f is strictly increasing,
given equation decreasing or stationary.

determine the greatest/least values of a solve optimisation problems

function on a given interval using calculus

find the stationary point(s) (values) on a curve

and determine their nature using differentiation

Rule of thumb:
Multiply by the power and reduce the power by 1.

Examples 3
y  5x 2 
f (x)  3x 5
x
 f (x)  5  3x 51  y  5x  3x 1
2

 f (x)  15x 4 dy
  10x  3x 2
dx
dy 3
  10x  2
f (x)  2x 3  4 x 2  3x  4 y  f x  dx x

 f (x)  2x 3  4 x 2  3x1  4 x 0 dy
  f x 
 f (x)  6x 2  8x1  3x 0  0x 1 dx x5
 y
 f (x)  6x  8x  3
2
x
x1 5
 y 1  1
f (x)  4 x  5 x2 x2
  12
1
1  y  x 2  5x
 f (x)  4 x  5x 2 0

dy 1  12 5  32
 f (x)  2x
 12
  x 2x
dx 2
2 dy 1 5
 f (x)    
x dx 2 x 2 x 3

 

Test
Yourself?
 yB  yB
A straight line has a gradient mAB 
xB  xA

The chord PQ has a gradient

yQ  y P f (x  h)  f (x) f (x  h)  f (x)
mPQ    
xQ  x P xhx h

As h tends to zero, Q tends towards P and the chord PQ

 becomes the tangent at P.
 f x  h   f x 
The gradient of the tangent at P = f x   lim  
h 0
 h 

Example

To find the gradient of the tangent to the curve y = f(x) Find the gradient of the tangent to the curve
at x = a we need to evaluate f ´(a). y = 3x2 + 2x – 1 at the point P(1, 4)
x4
dy
 6x  2
dx
dy
  6.4  2  26
dx x 4

Thus gradient at P is 26.

Test 
Yourself?
The Waverley can reach its top speed in 5 minutes.
During that time its distance from the start can be
calculated using the formula D = t + 50t2
where t is the time in minutes and D is measured in metres.

What is the Waverley’s top speed?

Speed, v m/min, is the rate of
change of distance with time.

D  t  50t 2
dD
v  1 100t
dt
v = 1 + 100  5 = 501 m/sec



How fast is it accelerating?

Acceleration, a m/min/min, is the
rate of change of speed with time.
v  1 100t
Test
dv Yourself?
a  100
dt
 y

The signs indicate where the gradient 0

of the curve is: + –
–
positive … the function is increasing + –
+ 0 –
negative … the function is decreasing
+ O – x
zero … the function is stationary

A function is strictly increasing in a region where f´(x) > 0

A function is strictly increasing in a region where f´(x) < 0
A function is stationary where f´(x) = 0

Example
f(x) = 2x3 – 3x2 – 12x + 1.
Identify where it is (i) increasing (ii) decreasing (iii) stationery
graph of derivative

f x   6x 2  6x 12 15

10

A sketch of the derivative shows us that

5

f´(x) < 0 for 0 < x < 2 … f(x) decreasing


0
-2 -1 0 1 2 3
f´(x) > 0 for x < 0 or x > 2 … f(x) increasing -5
Test
f´(x) = 0 for x = 0 or x = 2 … f(x) stationary -10
Yourself?
-15
To sketch a curve, collect the following information:
• where will it cut the y-axis? [x = 0]
• where will it cut the x-axis? [f(x) = 0]
• where is it stationary? [f ´(x) = 0]
• where is f(x) increasing/decreasing [f ´(x) > 0/ f ´(x) < 0]
especially in the neighbourhood of the stationary points.
• how does f(x) behave as x  ±

Test
Yourself?
 When a function is defined on a closed interval, a ≤ x ≤ b, then it must have a
maximum and a minimum value in that interval.
These values can be found either at
• a stationary point [where f´(x) = 0]
• an end-point of the closed interval. [f(a) and f(b)]
All you need do is find these values and pick out the greatest and least values.

Example
A manufacturer is making a can to hold 250 ml of juice.
The cost of the can is dependent on its radius, x cm.
For practical reasons the radius must be between 2·5 cm and 4·5 cm.

The cost can be calculated from the formula

C = x3 –5x2 + 3x + 15, 2·5 ≤ x ≤ 4·5.
Calculate the maximum and minimum values of the cost function.

dC
 3x 2 10x  3 … which equals zero at stationary points.
dx
3x2 – 10x + 3 = 0
Þ (3x– 1)(x – 3) = 0
 Þ x = 1/3 or x = 3
Working to 1 d.p.
f(1/3) = 15·5
f(3) = 6
f(2·5) = 6·9
f(4·5) = 18·4 Test
By inspection fmax = 18·4 (when x = 4·5) and fmin = 6 (when x = 3). Yourself?
solving optimisation problems using calculus

Example

A box has a square base of side x cm and a height of h cm.

It has a volume of 1 litre (1000 cm3) h
For what value of x will the surface area of the box be minimised?
[… and hence the cost of production be optimised]
x
x

To use calculus we must express the surface area in terms of x alone … so we must find h in terms of x .
For a cuboid, volume = lbh … so in this case 1000 = x2h.
And so, h  1000 2
 1000x 2
x

The box is made from 6 rectangles, two of area x2 cm2 and four of area xh cm2

Total Surface Area, S = 2x + 4xh

2

S = 2x2 + 4000x–1 If x < 10, 4x < 40 and 4000x–2 > 40

dS So dS/dx < 0 … a decreasing function
  4 x  4000x 2
dx
If x > 10, 4x > 40 and 4000x–2 < 40
= 0 at stationary points So dS/dx > 0 … an increasing function
Þ 4x = 4000x–2

Þ x3 = 1000 Decreasing before x = 10 and increasing after it
x 10- 10 10+ Gives us a minimum turning point.
Þ x = 10
ds/dx – 0 +

If x = 10 then h = 10. Test

Yourself?
A cube of side 10 cm has a volume of 1000 cm3 and the smallest possible surface area.
Example
Find the stationary points of the function f(x) = x5 + 5x4 – 35x3 + 1 and determine their nature.

Differentiate: f´(x) = 5x4 + 20x3 – 105x2

Equate to zero: 5x4 + 20x3 – 105x2 = 0 at stationary points
(factorise)  5x2(x2 + 4x – 21) = 0
 5x2(x – 3)(x + 7) = 0
 x = 0 (twice), x = 3 or x = –7
Make a table of signs: x  -7  0  3  … scan the critical x’s
2
5x + + + 0 + + +
x-3 – – – – – 0 + … examine each factor of dy/dx
x+7 – 0 + + + + +
dy/dx + 0 – 0 – 0 +
profile / – \ – \ – / … conclusions based on sign of
Nature max PI min derivative

Stationary points occur at

x = –7 ( a maximum turning point);
x = 0 (a horizontal point of inflexion);
x = 3( a minimum turning point.
The corresponding stationary values are
f(–7) = 7204
f(0) = 1
f(3) = –296 Test
The stationary points are: (–7, 7204) a max TP; (0, 1) a horizontal PI; (3, –296) a min TP Yourself?
 Differentiate
(a) 3x5 + 4x3 – x – 3
(b) 3x2 + 2x
(c) 3
4
x

(d) 2x  x
x2


reveal
reveal

 Differentiate
(a) 3x5 + 4x3 – x – 3 (a) 15x4 + 12x2 –1
(b) 3x2 + 2x
(c) 3
4
x 1
(b) 3x 2  2 x  3x 2  2x 2
(d) 2x  x
dy 1 1
x2   6x  x 2  6x 
 dx x


You must make each  3
(c) 4  4  3x 1
term take the shape axn
x
dy 3
  3x 2   2
dx x

1
 (d) 2x  x 2x x 2 1  32
   2x  x
x2 x2 x2
dy 5
  2x 2  32 x 2
dx


Gradient at a Point

0
0 1 2 3

-1

reveal
reveal

Using convenient units and axes, the profile

of a hill has been modelled by
H = 0·1(x3 – 5x2 + 6x) where H is the height
and x is the distance from the origin.
What is the gradient of the curve when x = 2?
Gradient at a Point

0
0 1 2 3
H = 0·1x3 – 0·5x2 + 0·6x
-1

dH
 0  3x 2  x  0  6
dx
dH
  0  3  22  2  0  6
dx x 2
 1 2  2  0  6
 0  2



Using convenient units and axes, the profile

of a hill has been modelled by
H = 0·1(x3 – 5x2 + 6x) where H is the height
and x is the distance from the origin.
What is the gradient of the curve when x = 2?
Rates of change

reveal
reveal

The radius, r cm, of a particular circular

ripple is related to the time, t, in seconds
since the photo was taken.
r = 4t + 3
How fast is the area of the circle growing
when the radius is 10 cm?
Rates of change

Since r = 4t + 3
then r = 11  t = 2.
and the area of the circular ripple, A cm2, is
π(4t + 3)2
A = π(4t + 3)2
 A = 16πt2 + 24πt + 9π

dA
  32t  24
dt
dA
  32  2  24  88
dt t 2



The radius, r cm, of a particular circular When the radius is 11 cm, the area is
ripple is related to the time, t, in seconds increasing at the rate of 276·5 cm2 per second
since the photo was taken. correct to 1 d.p.
r = 4t + 3

How fast is the area of the circle growing

when the radius is 11 cm?
 Increasing/decreasing functions

reveal
reveal

During one study of red squirrels

the number in one area was modelled
by the function
N(x) = x3 – 15x2 + 63x – 10, 1 < x < 12
Where x is the number of years since the
study started.

During what years was this a decreasing function?

 Increasing/decreasing functions

N(x) = x3 – 15x2 + 63x – 10, 1 < x < 12

Þ N´(x) = 3x2 – 30x + 63

N´(x) = 0 at stationary points

3x2 – 30x + 63 = 0  x = 3 or 7

N´(x)

During one study of red squirrels

3 7 x
the number in one area was modelled
by the function
N(x) = x3 – 15x2 + 63x – 10, 1 < x < 12
Where x is the number of years since the The sketch shows that N´(x) < 0 for 3 < x < 7.
study started.
The population was on the decrease between the
3rd and 7th years of the survey.
During what years was this a decreasing function?
 Curve sketching

Sketch the curve with equation

y = x3 – 5x2 – 8x + 12

Identifying
(i) where will it cut the y-axis?
(ii) where will it cut the x-axis?
(iii) where is it stationary?
(iv) where it is increasing/decreasing
especially in the neighbourhood
of the stationary points. reveal
reveal
(v) how it behave as x  ±
 Curve sketching

(i) x = 0  y = 12 … (0, 12)

(ii) y = 0  x3 – 5x2 – 8x + 12 = 0
Sketch the curve with equation
 (x – 1)(x + 2)(x – 6) = 0
y = x – 5x – 8x + 12
3 2 x = 1 or x = –2 or x = 6 … (1, 0), (–2,0),(6, 0)
(iii) dy
/dx = 3x2 – 10x – 8
= 0 at S.P.s
Identifying 3x2 – 10x – 8 = 0  (3x + 2)(x – 4) = 0
(i) where will it cut the y-axis?  x = –2/3 or x = 4 … a max TP at (–2/3 , 400/27 )
(ii) where will it cut the x-axis?  y = 400/27 or y = –36 … a min at (4 , –36 )
(iv) x 
2
- /3  4 
(iii) where is it stationary? 3x + 2 – 0 + + +
(iv) where it is increasing/decreasing x–4 – – – 0 +
dy/dx + 0 – 0 +
especially in the neighbourhood inc/dec / - \ - /
of the stationary points. nature max min
(v) how it behave as x  ± (v) When x is large and positive, y is large and positive (1st quad)
When x is large and negative, y is large and negative (3rd quad)

y = x 3 - 5x2 - 8x +

30

20

10

0
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
-10

-20

-30

-40
 A shop takes x deliveries a year of cereal.
The suppliers are willing to make between 20 and 200 reveal
reveal
deliveries a year.
The annual cost of these deliveries can be calculated
from the formula:
10000
C x   4 x   1000 ; 20 ≤ x ≤ 200
x

Calculate the number of deliveries that will

minimise the costs.

 Find stationary point(s)

10000
C x   4 x   1000
x
10000
 C x   4 
x2

At stationary points C´(x) = 0


10000
4 0
A shop takes x deliveries a year of cereal. x2
10000
The suppliers are willing to make between 20 and 200  x2   2500
4
deliveries a year.
 x  50
The annual cost of these deliveries can be calculated
from the formula:
10000 Examine end-points and stationary point(s)
C x   4 x   1000 ; 20 ≤ x ≤ 200 
x 10000
C 20  4  20   580
20
10000
C 200  4  200   850
 What is the manager’s best strategy to minimise 200
the costs. 10000
C 50  4  50   400
50

Optimum strategy: Order 50 times a year. This


will minimise costs at £400.
Optimisation

30 cm

20 cm

20 – 2x
x
30 – 2x
reveal
reveal

An A4 sheet of paper, roughly 20 by 30 cm

has its edges folded up to create a tray.
Each crease is x cm from the edge.

What size should x be in order to maximise

the volume of the tray?
Optimisation

30 cm

Express volume in terms of x:

20 cm V = x(20 –2x)(30 –2x)
= 4x3 – 100x2 + 600x
x
Differentiate
dV
 12x 2  200x  600
dx
20 – 2x = 0 at S.P.s
x
30 – 2x  12x 2  200x  600  0
200  40000  4.12.600
x
24
 x  12  7 or 3 9 (to 1 d.p.)
An A4 sheet of paper, roughly 20 by 30 cm
has its edges folded up to create a tray. Check nature
Each crease is x cm from the edge. x  3·9  12·7 

dV/dx – 0 + 0 –
What size should x be in order to maximise inc/dec \ / \
Nature mim max
the volume of the tray?

Conclusion

When x = 3·9, the volume is at a maximum

of 1056 cm3.
 Stationary points and nature

A function is defined by

x5 x4 x3 x2
f (x)    
5 4 3 2


reveal
reveal
(a) Show that its derivative has factors
x, (x + 1) and (x – 1)
(b) Find the stationary points of the function
and determine their nature.
 Stationary points and nature

differentiate
f x   x 4  x 3  x 2  x
A function is defined by  x(x 3  x 2  x 1)
 x[x 2 (x  1)  (x  1)]

x5 x4 x3 x2  x(x  1)( x 2 1)

f (x)      x(x  1)( x 1)(x  1)
5 4 3 2 Equate to zero
At S.Ps f´(x) = 0
 i.e. x = 0 or x = –1 or x = 1

Make nature table

 x  -1  0  1 
2
(x+1) + 0 + + + + +
(a) Show that its derivative has factors x – – – 0 + + +
(x-1) – – – – – 0 +
x, (x + 1) and (x – 1) f'(x) + 0 + 0 – 0 +
inc/dec / - / - \ - /
(b) Find the stationary points of the function nature PI max min
and determine their nature. Find corresponding y-values.
f 1   15  14  13  12   607
f 1  15  14  13  12   23
60

f 0  0

Summarise findings
(–1,–7/60) point of inflexion

(1,–23/60) minimum turning point
(0, 0) minimum turning point